Wolverines are no match for the Ducks, there are no easy answers

Ann Arbor – The Champions have officially fallen completely. It was an expected fall, but that doesn't make falling so far and so fast pleasant.

The Wolverines didn't have much of a chance against No. 1 Oregon on Saturday, although they gave themselves a chance in the fourth quarter. But in the end the same deficiencies were evident and were unlikely to be remedied for the rest of the season.

Michigan is 5-4 after a 38-17 loss to the Ducks at Michigan Stadium, and less than 12 months after going 15-0 and winning the national championship, the Wolverines are looking to bowl. The indignities they endured for three full seasons are now upon them, and the question is how they respond now and in the future.

In its first year under Sherrone Moore, Michigan lacks playmakers and depth, is undermanned and occasionally has an outcoach. One thing inevitably leads to another, and much of it was unavoidable. You can't overreact, and I don't think anyone in Michigan will.

But you can't chalk it all up to attrition, even though the Wolverines lost 19 of 22 starters and most of their coaching staff, led by Jim Harbaugh. Moore has kept his players together so far, and there are three challenges left: at undefeated Indiana, home of Northwestern, and at Ohio State. Neutral observers and even the most ardent UM advocates saw some of this chaos coming, but not necessarily all of it.

Briefly in secondary school

This loss actually wasn't as bad as some of the others, as the Ducks scored a touchdown in the final seconds. With starting cornerbacks Will Johnson and Jyaire Hill missing due to illness, Michigan found itself in a tough spot against an Oregon offense that ranked in the top 10 in most categories, with quarterback Dillon Gabriel leading the nation with a 76.2 completion percentage led.

In fact, the Ducks scored touchdowns on four of their first five drives, although the first, a 2-yard pass from Gabriel to Evan Stewart, was inexplicably botched by the Big Ten's review system. It came on third down, and after Oregon kicked the extra point, CBS came back with a replay that clearly showed the ball hitting the ground.

This faux pas didn't decide the game. But the Wolverines rallied from a 28-10 halftime deficit on a pass from Davis to Warren and big balls from Colston Loveland, who caught seven balls for 112 yards. With seven minutes left, the score was 31-17, the defense had just forced a punt, and Michigan was driving to Oregon's 15. Then came a series of ineffective play calls, capped by a fourth-down throwback attempt by receiver Semaj Morgan to quarterback Alex Orji that sailed high and wide.

Bizarre play call from coordinator Kirk Campbell? Sure, limited skills aside, the offense was forced to try creative, unorthodox things, and some worked. For three years, the Wolverines knew exactly who they were and what they were doing, playing power football behind a great line with a mistake-averse quarterback in JJ McCarthy.

They now have little to rely on. Kalel Mullings was a productive rusher early in the season, and Donovan Edwards gets one now and then, but it's all a drain on the offense. And that all puts a strain on a defense that has top talent — Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, Josaiah Stewart — but too often gets sent back onto the field after a UM turnover.

absorb water

There is no championship run on the horizon and there is not even a guarantee of a winning season. But I think it's fair to say that there is still effort and energy, even if it is tested over time.

“I’m just proud of the way the guys fought,” Warren said. “We had our backs to the wall and had a hearty conversation at halftime. Of course it's disappointing, but it's not our job to take that perspective or feel sorry for ourselves. Our job is to concentrate on the next day, the next game.”

Davis settled down and played well, 13 of 23 for 165 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. The offense repeated the turnover-free performance needed to beat Michigan State.

But there are always rumors on defense, as Oregon put up 470 yards and converted 10 of 15 third downs. Defensive coordinator Wink Martindale tried to apply pressure, but the Wolverines did not record a sack against Gabriel, who was 22 for 34.

In the future, the tasks of both coordinators should be thoroughly evaluated. A deep dive into the transfer portal is a must to fill the roster. The Wolverines' expanded NIL program needs to succeed, and if it somehow gets them back on the roster for top quarterback recruit Bryce Underwood of Belleville, fortunes could quickly change.

But there are no circumstances now. Although many of the personnel issues could be seen after UM sent 13 players to the NFL Draft, that doesn't make them any easier to resolve.

In the meantime, there are games to play and reputation to maintain. I asked Moore about the challenge of motivating a team that went 40-3 for three seasons and is now 5-4.

“The motivation is being in Michigan,” Moore said. “You know that you wear the winged helmet, that you have the block M on your chest and that you have to play against really good teams the rest of the way. These guys are very proud. They will continue to fight.”

If this seems like an unusual situation for a defending champion, it is. The last massive fall from a national title came at LSU, where Joe Burrow led the Tigers to a 15-0 mark in 2019. After his departure, LSU was 5-5 during the COVID season. Before that, Auburn went 14-0 in 2010, then fell to 8-5 after the departure of Cam Newton.

UM's national champions were led not by a single star, but by a physical style and system. In some ways, this deep pool of experience and talent is harder to replace. It's pointless to compare current results and strategies with last season because the squad is so different. What worked then – simply giving Blake Corum the ball behind a strong line – no longer works today.

The challenge for Moore and his staff is keeping the team engaged and competitive. The challenge for players is to prove that pride is not just a slogan.

“I don’t really look at it as a challenge, but more of an opportunity for us,” defensive end Derrick Moore said. “The next three games will be more about: How do we want to be remembered, how do we want to end the season?”

Over the past three years it has been a difficult task but a simple answer. Both personally and practically, this will be even more difficult.

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@bobwojnowski

Wolverines are no match for the Ducks, there are no easy answers

Briefly in secondary school

absorb water

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